Your favorite version of these two mega fictional crime dramas says a lot about who you are.

By Kristin Veitch

If you've ever raced through traffic, flung open the front door and hurdled the couch, all in an effort to catch the opening credits of your favorite TV crime drama, you are not alone. But did you know that which one you rush home for says something about you?

This is especially true when it comes to the biggest TV franchises around -- "CSI" and "Law & Order." Although there are six incarnations between them, most viewers tend to gravitate toward just one of these series. "I've found that people rarely say, 'I love two of the three shows,' " says CSI creator Anthony Zuiker. "They say, 'I love Vegas!' Or, 'Miami's my favorite!' "

Fans can become fairly proprietary about their favorites. "People naturally gravitate toward certain things and are turned off by others," says sociologist Pepper Schwartz, best-selling author of "Finding Your Perfect Match." "I'm sure that's why they created so many versions of these shows. They were thinking, 'Who are we not catching with this?' "

So, if you do have a season pass to "SVU" or a hankering for Horatio -- in the words of "CSI's" theme song -- 'Who are you?' Well, we have a few answers. Read on.

Kristin Veitch is E! Entertainment's TV expert. Catch her on E! News every Wednesday and Saturday at 7 p.m., or read "Watch with Kristin" at eonline.com.

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"CSI" = The Voyeurs
"Most crime-show fans are analytical types," says John Gray, author of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" (and a "CSI" diehard). "CSI works so well because analytical types also like to be voyeurs. They're too afraid to get involved sometimes. With this show, you get to be a voyeur in a really hot and exciting part of life -- Las Vegas." Plus, says Match.com personality expert Kristin Kelly, "These fans also have a secret dark side, so they're attracted to mysterious, with-a-past types."

"L&O = The Traditionalists
There's a reason original-recipe "L&O" is the longest-running drama currently on TV: These fans know what they like -- and like what they know. "These are the same people who drink Classic Coke, you know?" Schwartz muses. "They have something they like, so why screw around with it?" Still, cast changes and ever-evolving story lines keep the series fresh. Gray also cites the "excitement factor": "These fans live routine lives and then -- boom! -- get a dose of reality you don't experience in daily life unless you live at a police station."

"CSI: Miami" = The Social Butterflies
Either you're a drama queen who stands ready to invoke one of Horatio's perp-stinging zingers should the Starbucks girl short you on the foam, or you're fascinated by them. "This show is high on the drama," Gray says. And because Miami dabbles more into the personal lives of the investigators, he adds, "Your social types would probably be more into the Miami one. Everything is interaction and personal feeling reactions to things." Not to mention, given that "CSI" creator Zuiker describes this as the one with "a sense of sexiness and hot bodies and great nightlife," you probably don't mind a little eye candy.

"L&O: Criminal Intent" = The Analysts
Chances are, fans of this series were raised on Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys because, according to "L&O" co-executive producer Peter Jankowski, this is the "Sherlock Holmes of all three shows." Each episode of "Criminal" is more or less a good brainteaser of a mystery. According to author Gray, "these fans have the most curious personalities." And, adds Kelly: "Criminal Intent fans secretly hate authority and societal norms. They're also incredibly analytical, to the point of overanalyzing, and are great observers and great listeners."

"CSI: New York" = The Sophisticates
Like all three "CSI" series, the New York version follows the flavor of its city, which Zuiker describes as having "a level of sophistication and seriousness." And, according to Gray, these fans are "more hard-core. It is New York. And they are more realistic, more street smart and less idealistic." Says Kelly: "CSI: New York fans tend to be a bit darker, a bit grittier. They may often feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders and be a bit more private or closed off."

"L&O: SVU" = The Protectors
"'SVU' fans are strong and gutsy on the outside, with a soft emotional core that is hard to penetrate," Kelly says. And noting story lines dealing with children and abuse, she adds, "They're also natural protectors who make great parents." Gray agrees: "Protector personalities like to be in control of things. That's your 'SVU' type; they want to protect people from the worst elements in life. And particularly with this crime drama, they like to look at these people's lives and think, 'Hey, mine's not so bad.' "